Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a manufacturing method for a camera window and a camera window manufactured thereby. More particularly, the present invention relates to a manufacturing method for a camera window and a camera window manufactured thereby, in which a distinctive pattern is formed on a front surface of a glass sheet such that direct external recognition of the pattern is possible, whereby it is possible to recognize a distinctive pattern line without a deposition layer.
Description of the Related Art
Generally, various portable terminals, such as mobile phones, smartphones, tablet PCs, laptops, navigation devices, PDAs, widely utilize a touchscreen display for allowing a user to directly operate the terminal and check the operating state, as well as to check information.
Recently, in response to consumer demand for differentiated designs along with the various functional requirements of portable terminals, many studies have been conducted to improve the design of the cover glass thereof.
The cover glass used in a smartphone, which is currently the most popular of portable terminals, includes: a front cover glass combined with a display window on a display; a rear cover glass combined with a rear surface of the smartphone; a camera window for protecting a camera lens that is generally provided on the rear surface of the smartphone; and a home key button. Research and approaches to improve the design of the smartphone while considering the functionality of each element are ongoing.
Particularly, there has been much interest in improving the design of the front cover glass and the rear cover glass that determine the exterior design of a smartphone. Recently, efforts have been made to improve the design of the camera window and the home key button. In the present invention, the focus is on improving the design of the camera window, and reference will be made thereon.
In general, a camera module in a mobile phone includes: a plurality of lenses for providing high-resolution image-capturing performance; and a barrel for receiving and fixing the lenses, wherein the camera window is disposed at a front end of an objective lens of the camera module to protect the camera module from external impact.
The camera window is made of a shock resistant material that protects the camera module from external impact and has high light transmission, wherein in terms of configuration, an antistatic coating, an AR coating, and the like are provided. In terms of design of the camera window, a print layer colored with single color (black, white, gold, blue, pink, etc.) is provided around a transparent portion of the camera window except for the transparent portion, or to give a pattern texture, two print layers, namely a base print layer and a pattern print layer that is formed after the base print layer, are provided.
The above described print layer using ink has been applied to relatively low-cost models. To meet the diverse needs of consumers and for application to more advanced models, instead of the print layer using ink, aesthetic variety can be provided by deposition of metallic materials and reinforced printing, or a pattern texture can be provided by deposition of metal materials and reinforced printing by using a patterned mask, thereby being applied to high-end models.
Despite improvements in design factors by such processes as deposition and reinforced printing, as consumer demand for novel designs and high-end models increases, predetermined three-dimensional etching patterns are recently being formed on the back surface of a glass substrate, which is used as a camera window material, by using an etching process, and a deposition layer and a print layer are formed on the front surface of the etching pattern to improve reflectivity, such that a pattern texture is given to the front surface of the glass substrate.
However, the above mentioned method is performed to provide a pattern on the back surface of the glass substrate and to allow the pattern to be recognized through the front of the glass substrate, and requires a deposition layer on the back surface of the glass substrate to give a pattern texture to the front surface of the glass substrate. This deposition layer is disadvantageous in that it results in an increase in the process cost and makes the entire process complicated.
Further, the ink in the print layer formed on an upper portion of the deposition layer is highly likely to encroach on the etching pattern, and thereby the intended pattern texture may not be provided, the three-dimensional effect of the pattern may be reduced, or it may be difficult to realize various and complex patterns.
The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art.